SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College men's lacrosse team got off to a hot start on Saturday afternoon, but the Garnet Chargers could not keep up the early pace and dropped a 12-10 matchup to Babson College in non-conference action at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
 
First-year Luke Allen scored the first three goals of his collegiate career to lead Union (0-2) on the day. He was matched with three points by classmate Garrett Salit and senior Walker Popko with two goals and an assist apiece. Sophomore Bo Bensley recorded a career-best two points on a goal and an assist, while sophomore Christian Kelly and first-year Drew Laubenstein both scored their first collegiate tallies as well for the home team.
 
Union came out of the gates hot, scoring on four of its first five possessions to take an early 4-0 advantage. After turnovers for both teams, Allen opened the scoring with his first collegiate goal 100 seconds into the game, starting a string of four Union goals in less than three minutes. Popko doubled the lead 3:01 into the game, and both Allen and Salit followed with man-up tallies 39 seconds apart to make it a four-goal lead 4:25 in. Kelly responded to Babson's first goal with one of his own to make it a 5-1 game with 6:41 left in the quarter before the Beavers got a goal in the final half-minute to trail by three after 15 minutes.
 
Babson turned the tables with a 5-2 period of its own to knot the score at seven at the half. The visitors scored five of the frame's first six goals to take their first lead at 7-6 before Popko deposited his ninth goal of the young season off a Bensley feed with 1:46 left to tie the game.
 
The second half was evenly played on both sides, with both teams taking 20 shots, but Babson scored one more goal in each frame to escape with the victory. Babson netminder Andrew Almquist was the difference in the second half for the Beavers, making 10 saves to keep Union from making any sustained runs.
 
Babson scored the first three goals of the third quarter to take a 10-7 lead, but Union clawed back with tallies from Bensley and Laubenstein to get within a goal after 45 minutes. The tied turned again midway through the fourth when the Beavers capitalized on a two-minute penalty by scoring twice to take a 12-9 lead with 8:07 remaining. Union got back within a goal on Allen's third of the day with 5:58 on the clock, but two Almquist saves and three turnovers dimmed the home team's chances of a comeback.
 
Babson finished the day with a slight 44-43 edge in shots, with Almquist ending the afternoon with 15 saves and Union junior Nick Lynch stopping 11 shots. Senior Luke Tranter had a good day at the faceoff X, winning 15-of-24 draws and grabbing seven ground balls, and was helped by senior John Sula with a career-high 11 grounders.
 
Union will head on the road for the first time this season on Thursday with a 4 p.m. matchup at Springfield College.